Deutsche Welle45 minutes agoBusiness1 min read

UK Air Traffic Chaos: NATS Rules Out Cyberattack After Flight Cancellations

More than 1,000 flights were cancelled or delayed due to a flight processing system failure, with disruptions extending into Wednesday.

nats air traffic control heathrow airport

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NATS CEO Martin Rolfe ruled out a cyberattack following a major air traffic control failure in the UK that cancelled over 1,000 flights.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander summoned Rolfe for explanations as airlines demanded his resignation.

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Why It Matters

Major system failures affected British airports previously in August 2023 and 2025.

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Martin Rolfe, CEO of the UK's National Air Traffic Services (NATS), on Wednesday ruled out a cyberattack after a major interruption Tuesday in operations at British airports.

"We will be doing a very, very thorough and full investigation," Rolfe told the BBC.

More than 1,000 flights were cancelled and delayed due to air traffic control problems that started Tuesday morning and lasted for several hours. NATS said a problem involved an issue with the flight processing system.

Although NATS said the problem was resolved, more than 150 flights were cancelled on Wednesday, and more delays were expected throughout the day.

London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday said "some disruption may continue as airlines reposition aircraft and crew," and advised travelers to check flight status before heading to the airport.

"There are going to be dozens of cancellations in the morning of flights coming into Heathrow because, basically, the flights didn't go out tonight," travel journalist Simon Calder said to Sky News. "The consequences will be horrible," he added.

Questions over the UK's network

The UK's Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said Wednesday that she had summoned Rolfe for a closer explanation of what caused the malfunction, amid concerns over the UK's air traffic network.

This is not the first time a major system failure has affected British airports. In August 2023, several flights were cancelled due to a "system meltdown," costing airlines $135 million. In 2025, problems with flight radars affected several airports in the UK, including Heathrow Airport.

"I am seeking assurances that lessons will be learned and systems that support aviation are up to the job," Alexander said on X.

Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline, said at least 150,000 passengers using its services experienced delays of up to eight hours. Two hundred of its flights were cancelled.

For the second time, the airline demanded that NATS CEO Rolfe resign.

Rolfe told Sky News he accepted "full responsibility" but did not say if he was considering stepping down.

NATS provides air control traffic services to 15 UK airports. It is a public-private partnership which is partially owned by airlines including British Airways and easyJet, pension funds and the government.